Rangers centre-half Filip Helander has been singled out for praise by his former manager Roberto Donadoni.
Donadoni was the man in charge when the Swedish international made the move to Bologna and he is not surprised that he has been such a big hit at Ibrox.
Helander, 27, was already in Italy with Hellas Verona before he made the move to the Stadio Renato Dall’ara, to team up with the former AC Milan legend.
Donadoni knows all too well about the qualities of a rock-solid defence, given that he played with the likes of Baresi, Maldini and Costacurta during Milan’s 90’s halcyon days.
He said of Helander and Rangers solidity this season,
“It’s unbelievable to think Filip hasn’t lost a league game at Rangers. That’s very good for him and the team and I hope that run continues and he wins the league this season.”
“To concede only seven goals in the league is very impressive for Rangers. Every win starts from the defence. But while the defenders are important, it starts from the front with the strikers.”
“But when I played for AC Milan then there were few better than Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti and it was so easy as a midfielder to play in front of those four.”
“It’s interesting to hear Steven Gerrard say that it’s clear from Filip’s style that he has been influenced by Italian coaching but I can’t claim all the credit for that as he had a season at Verona before I worked with him and a season at Bologna after I left.”
“He learned many things about tactical awareness and it’s very easy for a coach when you have a player like him because he’s smart and has great application.”
Perfect fit
The former Italy boss then spoke of Helander’s limitations, realistically paving the way for Rangers to step in to bring him to the SPFL Premiership.
This is in tandem with the qualities of the player who is clever and self-aware to focus on his strengths to maximise his game.
“First and foremost he’s a very good guy and also a very good professional. And I mean this with the utmost respect when I say his technical quality might not be of the very highest level and by that I mean in terms of building from the back.”
“Filip’s left foot is very good, his right not so good. He doesn’t want to lose the ball and won’t try and dribble out of the defensive zone but he’s a smart guy and knows what his qualities are and he maximises them.”
“He is always fully concentrated and it helps him when his defensive partner is a ball-playing centre back because it allows him to stick to the basics.”
“He is a very tough player and keeps things very simple which is often all you want from a defender and when he moved to Scotland I said to Luca Gotti who was my assistant at Bologna that his style would be perfect for Rangers.”
Filip Helander’s Serie A experience and schooling is shining at present as he enjoys a run in Gerrard’s back line, in what has been a very shrewd signing following the reported £3.5 million fee paid to Bologna for his services.